“Kittydelphia” Pop-Up Cat Shop Coming to Philly

L: Laura Kicey, owner of Olive and Rye Cat Art, with her cats, Olive and Rye | R: Kicey’s cat with the “huntress” tote bag

First came the cats. Then the cat cafes.

Now, Philly will house “Kittydelphia” – the city’s first pop-up cat event.

The three-day feline festival, which kicks off this Friday, will feature Instagram-famous cats, adoptable cats and cat-centric vendors selling art, toys, clothes, food, housewares, jewelry and more. It’s scheduled to run between July 7th-9th at Gravy Studio, located at 910 N 2nd St. in Northern Liberties. 

The event is free – but a $5 donation is suggested. Funds will go toward the event’s daily raffles, which will benefit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS, a nonprofit animal shelter and veterinary center.

Unfortunately, you can’t bring your own feline to the festival – but attendees can hang with the Instagram-famous cats in attendance. That includes Miss Raspberry, a fluffy Persian cat with a photogenic underbite; Sophie the Model, a sleek, green-eyed black cat; and Turbo Two Legs, a cat with rear leg paralysis.

As of right now, the event will include products from 13 artists and vendors – including its organizer, Laura Kicey, who founded Olive and Rye Cat Art in 2014. Kicey creates custom digital cat portraits and cat-themed goods.

Kawaii Kitty Cafe will function as a “South Kittydelphia” outpost during the event. Cafegoers can curl up with a book and a cup of coffee while they surround themselves with felines in the “cat lounge” at the cafe, which is located at 759 S 4th St. in Queen Village.

For more information and a list of vendors, visit Kittydelphia’s website or Facebook page.

Follow @ClaireSasko on Twitter.